John 'Warwick' Smith

British painter and watercolourist (1749 - 1831)

John 'Warwick' Smith was the son of a gardener who worked for the Gilpin family. He studied drawing under artist Sawrey Gilpin (1733-1807). He accompanied the Gilpin family on many sketching tours between 1770 and 1776.

During a trip to Derbyshire in 1775, Smith met George Greville (1746-1816), the 2nd Earl of Warwick. Greville became his patron, providing support for his trip to Italy between 1776 and 1781. While visiting Naples, Rome and the Campagna Smith met artists such as William Pars (1742-1782), John Robert Cozens (1752-1797), Thomas Jones (1742-1803) and Francis Towne (1739/40-1816).

Smith settled in Warwick on his return to England. He contributed six views to Samuel Middiman’s ‘Select Views in Great Britain’ (1784-1785) and produced Welsh views for Lord Warwick and his family visiting Wales 13 times between 1784 and 1806. His nickname 'Warwick' most likely derives either from his residence or from the earl. He also travelled to the Devon, Worchester and Lake District, the latter resulting in the publication of ‘Twenty Views of the Lake District’ (1791-1795). Smith also produced a series of engravings after his own work ‘Selected Views in Italy’ (1792-1799)

Smith settled in London in 1797. He became an Associate of the Society of Painters in Watercolour in 1805, and was made a full member the following year. He exhibited there between 1807 and 1823 and was also elected President in 1814, 1817 and 1818.